Topsail happenings

Published: Thursday, March 20, 2014 at 12:12 PM.

NRA First Steps Shotgun Orientation: Firearm instruction, Responsibility and Safety Training will be held April 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This class is the NRA’s shotgun orientation program for beginners and new purchasers and includes shooting lessons. Cost is $65. Ammo, protective eye and ear wear are required. Space is limited. Call 910-328-4499 to reserve a seat.

Volunteers sought

The Sneads Ferry Community Council is seeking volunteers to assist in events planned throughout the year.

Help is needed with the Sneads Ferry Shrimp Festival, held Aug. 9 and 10; bingo; community theater; 5K Shrimp Scamper; Neighbors helping Neighbors; community dinners; and Winterfest

For more information or to volunter, email sfccoffice@centurylink.net.

Hampstead Garden Club will host a fashion show to support its scholarship funds.

The fashion show will be held April 3 at 11:30 a.m. at Christopher’s Restaurant at Olde Point Country Club. Fashions will be by Talbot’s from Mayfaire Shopping Center Admission is $20.

Advance ticket purchases are suggested as the event sold out last year.

For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Lois Berlin at 910-270-4300 or Karen Saari at 910-270-8562.

Rose Society meeting

The guest speaker at an upcoming meeting of the Wilmington Cape Fear Rose Society will showcase how roses make wonderful companions to the area’s azaleas and camellias.

Matt Hunter of the Azalea Society of America, Cape Fear Chapter, will speak on how to integrate these plants in gardens on April 12 at 9:30 a.m. at the New Hanover County Arboretum, located at 6206 Oleander Drive, Wilmington. For more information, call Carol Noble at 910-259-5845 or visit wcfrs.blogspot.com.

Blessing of the fleet

Harbour Village Yacht Club at Olde Point annual Blessing of the Fleet will take place on April 5.

Boaters wishing to take part may assemble outside the Harbour Village Marina, Hampstead, at 10 a.m. then proceed south on the waterway where they will join with boaters from HVYC where the blessing will take place. Boaters should monitor channel No. 68. All boaters are welcome.

For more information, contact Vice-Commodore David Rockwell at drockwell48@gmail.com.

Game day

The Presbyterian Women of Topsail Presbyterian Church is holding a Game Day on March 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the church fellowship hall. Tickets are $12, and lunch is included. Proceeds support the mission projects of the Presbyterian Women. For more information or tickets, call 910-270-2312.

Folkstone OFWB Church

Folkstone OFWB Church located at 133 Old Folkstone Road (at the U.S. 17 end) will be hosting a Ladies Retreat April 4 and 5. Registration is $40 and includes meals, tote and entertainment. For information or a registration form, go to folkstonechurch.com.

Folkstone OFWB Church will be hosting “Crystal Coast Camp Meeting” April 6 through 10. Morning services begin at 10 a.m. (no Monday a.m. service), and evening services begin at 7:00 p.m. with special guest preachers and singers, food and fellowship. For more information or the brochure, go to folkstonechurch.com.

Turtle volunteer training

Training classes for Topsail Turtle Project volunteers have been scheduled for April 2 from 1 to 3 p.m. and April 8 from 6 to 8 p.m. Training will be held at the Surf City Welcome Center (next to Daddy Mac’s.) Project volunteers walk a short section of beach (about one mile) one or more days a week beginning May 1 and continuing through the end of August. Under the direction of an area coordinator volunteers patrol set sections of the shoreline (finishing no later than 7:30 a.m.) looking for turtle tracks and signs of a nesting. Everybody is welcome, even those not sure they can commit to a day each week since there is always a need for subs and for volunteers to work into the hatching season sitting with nests at night. For more information contact Director of Beach Operations Terry Meyer at topsailseaturtle@aol.com.

Health survey

Pender County is partnering with a number of local organizations to conduct a Community Health Assessment.

Surveyors will be conducting randomly selected door-to-door surveys to get resident’s opinions on the most pressing health needs in the community. Surveyors will be in Pender County communities March 26 through 29 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and can be identified by a name badge.

For more information, contact the Pender County Health Department at 910-259-1230 or visit health.pendercountync.gov.

Pollinators workshop

An upcoming seminar will introduce the home gardener to the importance of pollinators to the food chain and what can be done to help out. Pender Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Joyce Causey will lead the pollinators workshop on March 25 from 11 a.m. to noon at the Pender County Extension Office, 801 S. Walker St. in Burgaw. The class is free, and registration is not required.

‘Zone 8 Garden by the Month’ gardening planners will be available to purchase for $9. Written by Pender Extension Master Gardeners, the month-by-month guide covers all you need to do to keep your lawn, garden, and landscape up to date.

For more information about the seminar or the Master Gardener Program, call 910-259-1235.

Intermediate cheerleading

Surf City Parks & Recreation will offer Intermediate Cheerleading for coed participants with prior experience in a cheer program. Instruction for ages 9 to 15 will run on Thursdays from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Surf City Community Center. April 10 to May 15. The program is part of the Surf City Stars cheerleading program. The cost is $60 for six weeks of classes. Those who register will also receive a program shirt and an outside performance may be scheduled. The registration limit is 30 participants. Register at townofsurfcity.com. Onsite registration is also available at Surf City Community Center For more information, call 910-328-4887 or e-mail athletics@townofsurfcity.com.

Volleyball

Surf City Instruction Volleyball is will run from March 26 through April 30 on Wednesday evenings from 5 to 7 at Surf City Community Center for girls and boys ages 9 to 14. The cost is $60 and participants will receive a team shirt. The coach will host a free clinic on March 19 from 6 to 7 p.m. for those interested in learning more about Instructional Volleyball. Instructional Volleyball is limited to the first 24 registrants. Register at townofsurfcity.com. Onsite registration is also available at Surf City Community Center For more information, call 910-328-4887 or e-mail athletics@townofsurfcity.com.

Herb & Garden Fair

Poplar Grove Plantation’s Herb & Garden Fair will be held March 29 and 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the historic site, located at 10200 US Hwy 17, Scotts Hill.

NRA First Steps Shotgun Orientation: Firearm instruction, Responsibility and Safety Training will be held April 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This class is the NRA’s shotgun orientation program for beginners and new purchasers and includes shooting lessons. Cost is $65. Ammo, protective eye and ear wear are required. Space is limited. Call 910-328-4499 to reserve a seat.

Volunteers sought

The Sneads Ferry Community Council is seeking volunteers to assist in events planned throughout the year.

Help is needed with the Sneads Ferry Shrimp Festival, held Aug. 9 and 10; bingo; community theater; 5K Shrimp Scamper; Neighbors helping Neighbors; community dinners; and Winterfest

For more information or to volunter, email sfccoffice@centurylink.net.

Hops of Spring Beer Festival

The Hops of Spring Beer Festival will move to a new location this year.

The festival, scheduled for April 26, will be held on 23 acres at 25488 US Hwy. 17 in Surf City after outgrowing its former site on Topsail Island.

The Hops of Spring Beer Festival, an event by the Greater Topsail Area Chamber of Commerce, features more than 20 breweries, and a myriad of food and shopping vendors.

Pre-sale tickets are available online through e-tixs.com and the Chamber’s website. Tickets are $25 for the entire day, April 26, noon to 7 p.m. Admission tickets include concerts and brews. Admission the day of the festival is $35 per person.

For more information, go to Facebook/HopsofSpringBeerFestival or topsailchamber.org, or call the Chamber at 910-329-4446.

Kiwanis scholarships

The Kiwanis Club of Topsail Island Area, continuing its long standing commitment to the young people of Onslow and Pender counties, has four scholarships in the amount of $3,000 each available for graduating seniors at Dixon and Topsail High Schools. Two of the four scholarships have the requirement that the applicant be a member in good standing of the school’s Key Club.

Additionally, the club has available a fifth scholarship in the amount of $2,500 for a graduating senior who is the child or grandchild of a current member of the Kiwanis Club of Topsail Island Area. North Carolina residency is not a requirement for the applicant.

Information and applications for the scholarships can be obtained by contacting the guidance counselors at Dixon High School or Topsail High School.

Cape Fear Chorale

Cape Fear Chorale presents Handel’s Israel in Egypt, an oratorio for soloists, orchestra and double choir conducted by Jerry Cribbs, April 6 at 4 p.m. in the Minnie Evans Arts Center, located on the campus of Ashley High School. There will be a 3:40 p.m. preconcert talk by Dr. Michael Daugherty

Admission is free; donations will be accepted. For more information, visit capefearchorale.org.

Tax help

AARP volunteers are now preparing and electronically filing federal and North Carolina state income taxes for 2013 free of charge. Trained and IRS certified volunteers from the services will be available at the Hampstead Library from 1 to 5 p.m. Mondays and at the Topsail Senior Center from 1 to 5 p.m. Wednesdays to answer questions and prepare and file personal tax returns. The free services are first-come, first-served.

Taxpayers should bring picture ID and Social Security card along with all financial, tax and wage statements for 2013.

Kiwanis golf tournament

The Kiwanis Club of Topsail Island Area is accepting team registrations for its 2014 golf tournament. The golf tournament will be held May 3 at North Shore Country Club, on N.C. 210 in Sneads Ferry. Tee time is 8:30 a.m., and the format will be Captain’s Choice.

Kiwanis is anticipating a sell-out event, so golfers are encouraged not to wait until the last minute to register. Entry fees are $75 per individual and $300 for each team of four. Tournament business sponsorships are $250. Proceeds are used on club projects that benefit youth in the greater Topsail area.

For more information or to register, contact Rick Benton at 910-604-3835 or Randy Cox at 910-777-2707 .

Horse shelter

Pender County Animal Shelter is seeking community support to build a facility to help the abused and mistreated horses of Pender County.

The initial cost for the Pender County Horse Shelter Project is $25,000, which will build the facility, purchase a trailer and start a medical fund for abused horses. One-hundred percent of donations directed to the horse shelter will go to the project.

Donations can be sent to Pender County Animal Shelter Horse Fund; 803 South Walker St.; Burgaw, NC 28425. Be sure to write “Horse Fund” in the memo line.

For information on the Pender County Animal Shelter Equine Facility or the animal shelter itself, visit pendercountync.gov or call 910-259-1484.

The screenings will be held at Topsail Senior Center on the third Tuesday of every month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and at Pender Adult Services on the fourth Thursday of every month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Pender County Health Department also offers free blood pressure checks Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call the Pender County Health Department at 910-259-1230.

VFW Post 9983

The Veterans of Foreign Wars is a non-profit service organization for men and women who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States in combat areas. VFW Post 9983 is located at 188 Hines Stump Sound Church Road, one mile north of Holly Ridge at the flags. The canteen is open from 3 to 8 p.m. daily with extended hours for special events. The hall is available for rental and catering is available, special consideration for non-profits needing meeting space.

For more information, call 910-329-1881.

Jazz festival

The Ocean City Jazz Festival is held in North Topsail Beach on the July 4 weekend.

For more information, visit oceancityjazzfest.com or email info@oceancityjazzfest.com.

Faith Harbor UMC

Share the Table is a free community meal offered to anyone who is hungry or lonely. There are no eligibility requirements, and meals are free. Families and individuals are welcome. Doors open on Sundays at 5:30 p.m., and serving begins at 6 and ends at 7. Volunteers are welcome. Call 910-328-4422 for more information.

The Harbor Thrift Store is located on N.C. 210 near the Swing Bridge. Hours of operation are Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Faith Harbor United Methodist Church invites the community to worship and celebrate every Sunday. The church is located on the mainland side of the swing bridge in Surf City with services at 8 and 9:20 a.m. For more information, call 910-328-4422, visit faithharborumc.org or like them on Facebook.

American Legion

Hampstead American Legion Post 167 meets the 2nd Monday of each month at the Topsail Senior Center next to Pender Pines. Veterans of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast Guard are invited to join them. For more information, visit ncalpost167.org.

Battleship North Carolina hours

The Battleship North Carolina is operating on its fall/winter schedule.

Through May 26, the battleship will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Christmas Day when the ship opens at noon. The Battleship North Carolina is located on the Cape Fear River across from downtown Wilmington. For information, visit battleshipnc.com or follow them at Facebook.com/or and Twitter.com/battleshipnc.

Caregiver support group

Family members, friends and caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia are invited to a family caregiver support group on the second Thursday of each month.

Caregivers will have the opportunity to meet other people facing the same circumstances, discuss challenges and receive support.

For more information, contact Ann LaReau at 910-470-2378.

Surf City Community Center

Surf City Community Center is open Monday and Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and Sunday from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

The current class schedule is available online at townofsurfcity.com

For more information, to register or inquire about teaching a new class, call 910-328-4887, email parksandrec@townofsurfcity.com or visit townofsurfcity.com.

Animal adoptions

Pender County Animal Shelter Adoptions are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m.

The adoption fee for dogs is $60 and includes spay/neuter, rabies, distemper/parvo & kennel cough vaccines, deworming and 30-day flea/tick treatment. The $40 adoption fee for cats includes spay/neuter, rabies and FVRCP, deworming and 30-day flea/tick treatment. Microchips are $15 with a lifetime enrollment.

Pender Animal Shelter is located at 3280 New Savannah Road in Burgaw. Call 910-259-1484 for more information or directions.

Master’s Touch Resale Store

Help support community outreach to those in need by shopping at Master’s Touch Resale Store, an interdenominational resale store located at 1056 Highway 210, Unit 3, in Sneads Ferry. Items for sale include gently used and some new items. All proceeds support the ministry of helping others. The store is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Donations are accepted during regular hours.

Sneads Ferry Rotary Club

The Sneads Ferry Rotary Club meets Wednesdays at noon at Madison’s Restaurant, located on N.C. 172 in Sneads Ferry.

CHEW!

The Dixon Elementary CHEW! (Children Healthy Eating on Weekends) Program assists children in the community by providing backpacks filled with child-friendly, easy to prepare meals throughout the weekend. CHEW! needs donations to stock and maintain a supply of non-perishable food items that will provide nutrition for approximately 40 students each weekend. For more information or to donate, contact Kim Nelson, school social worker, at 910-327-2392 or kim.nelson@onslow.k12.nc.us

Mama J’s Helping Hand

Mama J’s helps people in need by providing them with food, clothing, household goods and baby items like diapers, wipes, formula and clothing. Mama J’s also helps people who are struggling with everyday issues and welcomes them to come in and talk. Call Mama J’s at 910-327-1302 for an updated list of specifics that are needed. Mama J’s Helping Hand is located at 2205 Hwy. 172 in Sneads Ferry. For more information, email jeanette0621@yahoo.com.

Baby FAST

The Baby FAST program in Pender County — designed to strengthen family relationships; build connections with families, schools, churches and the community; improve babies’ development and well-being; and reduce in-home stress — is seeking assistance. For more information and to help, contact Melanie Gatton at mgatton@taffinc.org or 910-777-8244.

Masons

Stump Sound No. 733 Masonic Lodge in Sneads Ferry meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month.

Members meet at 6:30 for a meal, and Lodge begins at 7:30 for qualified Masons.

Boy Scout Troop 937 in Sneads Ferry meets every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, located at Lakeside Drive and N.C. 172. For more information, contact Harvey Hoopes at 910-327-0069 or harveyhoopes@gmail.com.

New River Garden Club

New River Garden Club meets the fourth Thursday of every month. Membership is open to all who would like to share a love of gardening, community service and conservation. For more information, contact Tommi Allen at 912-660-5274 or tallen@coastalpermits.com

Hampstead Marine Corps League

The Hampstead Detachment 1321 of Marine Corps League meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Topsail Senior Center located next to Pender Pines Nursery. New members, both Marines and FMF Navy corpsmen, are welcome.

Sneads Ferry Extension

The Sneads Ferry Extension and Community Association meets the third Thursday of the month from 1:15 to 3 p.m. at the Senior Citizens Building on N.C. 172. Learn about various issues for the community and well-being, do some crafts, work the concession stand at Sneads Ferry Monday Night Bingo (the club’s fundraiser for a scholarship to a deserving student at Dixon High). For more information, contact Ida MacNamara at 910-327-0718 or idamac1@embarqmail.com.

Hampstead Women’s Club

The Hampstead Women’s Club is a nonprofit organization that donates thousands of dollars annually to area schools and other worthwhile organizations. This is made possible through the members who volunteer daily to process donated goods and sell them at the Hampstead Thrift Shop. General meetings are held the second Wednesday of the month at 10 a.m. at the Hampstead Community Building, 14435 Highway 17. Membership applications are available at the Hampstead Thrift Shop.